Tabs to Windows

Sometimes we add extensions to our browser without even realizing that they could be related to specific computer security issues. After all, browser extensions like Tabs to Windows do not look dangerous at all. And it seems that you can always remove them if you find them annoying or threatening. However, there are a lot of users who have multiple extensions on their browsers, and they do not understand that those extensions collect information about their web browsing habits. It is exactly such intrusive plug-ins that you should delete from your browser immediately. And incidentally, Tabs to Windows happens to be one of them.

We would like to point out the methods that are used by potentially unwanted programs (PUP), adware, and other undesirable software to spread around. Normally, programs like Tabs to Windows have official websites and other routes of distribution that are totally legal. For instance, you can find the official homepage for this application at tabstowindows.com, and the program has a section at the Chrome Web Store. From that, we can see that it does not try to hide, and everything seems to be perfectly legal. Nevertheless, the official sources definitely are not the main road this program takes, figuratively speaking.

Not to mention that when we check out the homepage, we can see that there is no Privacy Policy or EULA. Sure, the page seems to give you enough information about the extension, and it says that Tabs to Windows helps you “split your Chrome tabs into separate windows in a click.” This application will “let you quickly rearrange your multiple tabs window into separate Chrome windows based on a layout you choose.” Supposedly, this should help you keep all of your tabs organized. However, the question is whether you really need a third-party extension for that.

We also think that it is only natural that users complain about this extension because it is not possible to add it to your Chrome browser from the official website. In fact, the most common way for such applications to enter your system is with a software package. Whenever you download programs from file-sharing sites, you probably download it via a third-party installer that bundles several applications together. You may not notice that if you are focused just on that one program you need. But sometimes reading the installation steps carefully should be enough. If you see additional programs offered, you can always choose not to add them.

On the other hand, if you go through the installation process blindly, Tabs to Windows will be added to your browser along with several other applications that are bound to slow down your system. The longer these unnecessary programs remain on your system, the more issue they may cause. For example, Tabs to Windows can employ tracking cookies to collect data on what websites you visit and what search keywords you use. Although that kind of behavior is legal, it is highly intrusive, and it could lead to a variety of computer security issues.

Our main concern is that the data collected by Tabs to Windows could be exploited by malevolent third parties. PUPs and other similar apps often rely on a third-party advertising network to provide users with the custom commercial content. They cannot review the content before presenting it to you. So if Tabs to Windows displays commercial ads that are related to your likes and preferences, there could be outgoing links that lead to dangerous websites, too. In a way, cyber criminals could make use of the application as a medium for malware distribution. Granted, such course of events is highly unlikely, but the risk is always there.

Luckily, it is very easy to delete Tabs to Windows from your computer, and you simply need to remove the extension from your browser. On the other hand, there might be more potential threats that could be hiding in your system, and you need to get rid of them, too.

Scan your PC with the SpyHunter free scanner, and you will get a list of all the unwanted programs at once. When you remove them, you need to make sure similar intruders to do not enter your system again. For that, acquire a powerful antispyware program and stay away from unfamiliar sites that distribute software.